Three Ethiopian peacekeepers slain in North Darfur

October 16, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – Three Ethiopian peacekeepers were killed in North Darfur state following an attack by unknown gunmen, announced the African Union United Nation Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) on Thursday.

UNAMID said two military personnel were killed immediately by the assailants in Korma where the attack took place while a third soldier seriously injured succumbed to his wounds and died in Khartoum.

“This happened when a patrol of Ethiopian peacekeepers guarding a water borehole came under sudden attack. The perpetrators seized a patrol vehicle and fled the scene,” UNAMID said.

Thursday’s attack brings the number of peacekeepers killed in Darfur to 61 since the start of the mission in December 2007.

The statement said the incident was reported to the Sudanese foreign minister “early this evening”.

UN chief, Ban Ki-moon, in a press encounter at the UN headquarters in New York was the first to announce the death of two peacekeepers

“Two UNAMID peacekeepers were killed today in an attack in Darfur. This has been a bloody October for UN Peacekeeping. In Darfur, Mali and the Central African Republic, we have lost 14 peacekeepers in hostile acts — nearly one per day,” Ban said.

“This highlights the exceptionally challenging environments in which today’s peacekeepers operate. Blue Helmets must be allowed to undertake their life-saving work without interference,” he added.

Acting head of the hybrid mission, Abidoun Bashua, condemned this “heinous crime against our peacekeepers”.

“This reminds us all of the great price everyone pays for the absence of peace. UNAMID personnel, as many others before them, lost their lives while attempting to bring peace to the people of Darfur” Bashua further said.